Area is emerging as arts district

Oct. 24, 2013

Mark Deutschmann is president of Core Development.

Written by

The Tennessean

Core Development has nearly 8 acres under contract with plans for a mixed-used redevelopment project that would continue the transformation of the industrial corner of the Wedgewood-Houston Neighborhood, which is emerging as Nashville’s newest arts district.

“It’s pretty early in the exploration stage,” said Mark Deutschmann, president of Core, a division of Nashville-based Village Real Estate Services that develops, markets and sells residential and mixed-used urban infill projects in Nashville. “We’re just starting to have some of the conversations with the neighbors and are exploring the possibilities.”

The properties Core has under contract include the roughly 5 acres where A.B. Collier Wrecker Service sits at 610 Merritt Ave. It also has a contract on the location of Kirby Welding Co. across Martin Street and an adjacent property with a single-family home.

Deutschmann said feedback from the neighbors would determine what type of project Core pursues there. With community support, the company would seek zoning for the project and close contracts for those properties around the middle of next year, he said.

Colby Sledge, a member of neighborhood group South Nashville Action People, praised Core for seeking feedback and ideas from the neighbors before drawing up any redevelopment plans. “They’ve been extremely open about the entire process,” he said. “Honestly, this is how conversations should go between developers and neighborhoods.”

Deutschmann said Core is trying to complement the arts environment in the area that includes Fort Houston, a membership-based artist co-op housed in an old brick factory with workspaces for creative freelancers such as woodworkers, printers and bike mechanics.

This past spring, Manuel Zeitlin Architects relocated its offices and design studio from Hillsboro Village to the neighborhood in space shared with art gallery Zeitgeist. Months earlier, guitar shop Cotten Music Center moved to Houston Station, which is next door to Fort Houston.

Residential projects

The Wedgewood-Houston Neighborhood also has attracted residential projects including SoHo Flats, where construction will start soon on five single-family homes off Southgate Avenue. Also off Southgate, developer Ewing Capital Group has approval for the SoHo Station community with nine single-family homes that are expected to be ready by next summer.

“That area is centrally located to Belmont and Vanderbilt, all the major interstates, and is five minutes from downtown,” said Bryan Krabousanos, construction and property manager for Ewing. “It’s hard to find affordable housing five minutes from downtown.”

Elsewhere, Core is preparing to start construction on Richland Station, a development with 40 cottage homes on 54th Avenue in Sylvan Park. Other company projects include The Chesterfield, a 43 cottage-style, single-family homes neighborhood in the Hillsboro Village/West End neighborhood. Core also is developing Gale Park, a green community with 79 cottage homes and town homes in the 12South/Melrose neighborhood district.

Among other residential projects, the company did Werthan Lofts in Germantown as well as the Art Avenue Lofts, Church Street Lofts and Kress Lofts in downtown Nashville.

Getahn Ward covers growth and development for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 615-726-5968 or at gward@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Getahn.